ID document stakeholders call for digital identity standards as Mastercard and Samsung team up

Mastercard and Samsung Electronics are collaborating to develop a way for digital identity to be conveniently and securely verified on people’s mobile devices, founded on user-centric principles such as data ownership, confidentiality, consent and transparency. The system will embody privacy-by-design and not collect identity data, according to the announcement.

“Our digital and physical lives are merging and we need a digital identity solution that reflects this reality,” says Mastercard President of Cyber & Intelligence Ajay Bhalla. “Without control over how their data is used, people rely on outdated systems that can compromise their security. Our collaboration with Samsung advances a digital identity solution that is bound to a trusted device – the mobile phone – which is used by millions of people every day.”

“At Samsung, we believe consumers should be in complete control of the privacy and security of their personal identity and we’re excited to work with Mastercard to bring the first digital identity solution to Samsung smartphones,” comments Yongje Kim, EVP and head of service business office at Samsung Electronics Mobile Division.

Meanwhile, the first Digital Document Security Conference has wrapped up with a call for international standards to safeguard new digital ID technologies’ security. Delegates said that the tipping point between physical and digital identity systems has been passed, but expressed concern about the security of digital systems.

Stakeholders from global government banknote, ID issuing and enforcement agencies gathered in Berlin for the event, including Google, Veridos, and Scytáles. The conference was organized by Reconnaissance International, and grew out of the Optical Document Security conference.

Scytáles recently demonstrated a mobile driver’s licence system based on the ISO/IEC 18013-5 standard in development along with GET Group North America.

Delegates are calling for standards to govern the characteristics, security, and interoperability of digital driving licenses, other ID documents, and bank and credit card data stored on smartphones and other digital devices.

Conference co-chairman Dr. Alan Hodgson notes that “trust takes a long time to build and no time to destroy.” His co-chairman, Ian Lancaster, noted that the transition to digital IDs shifts power from issuers to members of the public, who own and operate the devices the systems work on.

Delegates have called for the conference to be held again in 2020, according to the announcement.